


Warmth In Winter

by ri_oonn



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:20:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27663947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ri_oonn/pseuds/ri_oonn
Summary: The Fargheus Four go on a wintry vacation to Dimitri’s family home. Sylvain believes in second chances and Felix might just give him one.————————————————Kind of college-AU but this takes place during winter break ! There are references to drinking wine and being drunk/tipsy which is the reason for the alcohol warning and mature rating !This is my very first fic. Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoy it♡
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 20
Kudos: 83





	1. Chapter 1

Sylvain had kissed Felix before, if you wanted to get technical about it.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t a real kiss… and maybe it only happened once... and, if he were to be honest with himself, maybe it wasn’t exactly anything at all, but Sylvain remembered it nonetheless.

Growing up alongside Felix, Dimitri, and Ingrid, the four of them would be reunited every summer at Dimitri’s family vacation home. It was built on the low side of a mountain, so summer would be the only time to go if you didn’t want to freeze to death. Sylvain and the other three would run off into the surrounding woods while their parents socialized. They were always far too busy catching up on recent business ventures to pay attention to a bunch of rowdy kids. Not to say that his parents were ever the attentive type. So, due to a lack of supervision, playing around in the forested area tended to result in at least three new bruises by sundown. Sylvain could handle it, like he always had, but Felix was another story. Although he’d most likely kill Sylvain for saying so, Felix’s crying was not easily quelled.

There was one day when Dimitri and Ingrid ran up to Sylvain, breathless and sniveling. Ingrid’s words were accompanied by the tears streaming down her face as she hurriedly pleaded with Sylvain to help them find Felix.

“We were just playing near the river, but he fell into the water and then we saw him on some rocks, and he looked really hurt but-

“He ran when he saw us.” Dimitri interjected.

_Ah._ Another thing Felix was known for, besides being the huge crybaby that he was, was his pride. Which, as one can imagine, is a terrible mix. It often ended in Felix going missing after something or someone had made him cry, but he could never hide for long. He could try it, and he did, but Sylvain was relentless. Plus, he was pretty confident that he knew all of Felix’s hiding spots by now.

He checked them one by one until he found Felix. He was lucky enough to catch the dark strands of hair peeking out from behind a large cedar tree. The one that Felix liked, with the bright green moss that formed an almost perfect circle around its base. The massive tree stood alone near a cliff, which was just close and high enough to make Sylvain nervous. As he moved closer, he could see Felix had curled into himself. His tiny form hidden under the cover of the tree’s overbearing shadow.

“Fe?”

No response.

Sylvain walked up to Felix and knelt by his side. Felix tucked his face further into his folded arms.

“Felix.”

The boy lifted his head and sharp golden eyes stared up at Sylvain, they were puffy and reddened at the edges. A bit of dirt had smudged onto his face and mixed in with his tears. Sylvain quickly noticed the scrape on his arm. It was reddened and looked painful, but it wasn’t a deep cut. Felix would be okay, but Sylvain could only think about how scary it must’ve been for him. Felix hated the water.

“Hey,” Sylvain pulled his lips into a tight smile and tilted his head. “Found you.”

“Hmph.” Felix pouted.

“Does it hurt?” He asked, but received no answer.

“Can I see?”

To this, Felix slowly offered his arm. Sylvain balanced it in his hands, gently turning it as he examined the wound. His chest lightened, it was definitely not as bad as it could’ve been. Didn’t even draw blood. But still, Sylvain couldn’t ignore the sniffling Felix at his side. He then remembered something he had seen Felix’s mother do in the past. When she was still around, Sylvain wasn’t the only one left to console him. Not that he minded, just that he wished Felix had more.

“Here,” Sylvain lowered his face to Felix’s forearm. “I’ll kiss it better, okay?”

He gently pressed his lips to the injured area, the skin there was warmer than the rest. Despite knowing its falsity, he closed his eyes and wished as hard as he could that it would help. He then sat up straight and looked at Felix.

“All better?” Sylvain smiled.

“...Mn.”

Satisfied with a sniffle and nod from Felix, Sylvain resigned to laying beside him on the moss for the rest of the afternoon and dozed off. Conveniently forgetting the terrified Ingrid and Dimitri who were running around somewhere, searching for them.

So yes, Sylvain had kissed Felix before. But it wasn’t quite right.

* * *

  
Now they were all reunited again, but this time it was the middle of winter and they were all in their senior year of college. They gathered in the cabin that Dimitri’s father had lent him for the week. It was now the late evening of the first day, and Sylvain’s whole body ached. When Dimitri noticed they had all arrived earlier than expected he insisted they go hiking and that it would be “fun.” Sylvain wouldn’t qualify stomping around in ice and freezing his ass off as fun, but the dinner and wine that followed was compensation enough. Plus, the wine warmed him back up in no time.

Sylvain had been feeling nervous about this trip since the moment he agreed to it, but the copious amount of alcohol that was now swimming through his body helped… a little. At first he couldn’t place what made him feel so on edge. He had originally assumed it was the uncertainty of seeing everyone after so many years of missed reunions. They’d all moved out of state after graduating high school and, with Sylvain’s gap year abroad, college courses, jobs, and internships, it just got too difficult to match schedules. But now it was the winter break of their senior year, and Ingrid urged them all to go, saying that this was possibly their last chance to get together in this way. It should also be noted that she threatened to hunt each one of them down individually if they all bailed again. So here Sylvain was, sitting on a worn leather seat in front of an old crackling fireplace, more wine than blood in his veins, staring at him; who was too occupied with stoking the fire to notice. Sylvain’s stomach fluttered and he instantly knew the real source of his nerves.

Felix.

“What?”

Sylvain snapped to attention.

“Huh?” He asked.

“You said my name.” Felix narrowed his eyes at Sylvain. “What is it?”

_Shit._

“Oh, sorry…” Sylvain mumbled. “Didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

_Shit._ _Again._

Sylvain immediately remembered why he only kept to one glass. His already big mouth becomes unhinged when he’s downed enough drinks.

“I mean,” Sylvain’s gaze crawled over Felix. Who stood there with eyes as wide and round as the moon. Who he hadn’t seen in years. Whose face somehow became even more sculpted than when he last saw him. Sylvain noted a tinge of pink across his cheeks, which made something inside him stir. “I just- Hey, wait, have you been drinking?”

Confusion contorted Felix’s face. He pinched the bridge of his nose with two slender fingers and sighed.

“Sylvain… We’ve all been drinking. This whole time.” Felix motioned towards the other two couches that circled the fireplace; one taken over by Ingrid, who was loudly snoring, and one by Dimitri, who was basically catatonic. “They’ve completely blacked out.”

Felix crinkled his nose at Sylvain.

“I’m surprised you haven’t.”

“Well,” Sylvain chuckled. “Seems that you’ve underestimated me.”

A small laugh could be heard thrumming in Felix’s chest. The slight curve of his lips made Sylvain’s head spin.

“Seems so.” Felix mused.

Heat rushed to Sylvain’s cheeks. At least he could blame the flush on the alcohol.

“Hey Felix.”

“Hm?” Felix’s attention was back on the fire, carefully turning the wood over as it burned.

“Was I your first kiss?”

The fire iron clattered onto the brick, making the hair on the back of Sylvain’s neck stand on end.

“HUH??”

Felix’s voice was so loud that it made Sylvain shrink in his seat. He felt incredibly thankful in that moment that both Ingrid and Dimitri slept like the dead. He also couldn’t help but laugh at the look on Felix’s face. It made Sylvain want to push him just a tiny bit more.

“Remember? The day you fell and got that tiny scrape on your arm?” Sylvain did his best to hide the small hope he hung on those words.

“That doesn’t count.” Felix slowly picked the fire iron back up and hung it on its rack.

So he does remember.

“Aha, right.” Sylvain forced out a laugh. “Well, then... who was?”

“What?” Felix asked, now having taken a seat on the holiday-themed rug in front of him. His dark green flannel bunched up at his sides and hung loose at his wrists. The slight sway as he had plopped down onto the ground was evidence enough that Felix was, indeed, also drunk. Surprisingly stoic, but not sober enough to hide the way his incredibly sharp reflexes had dulled.

“Who was your first kiss?” Sylvain repeated.

Felix’s lips parted briefly, as if he were going to provide an answer, but he quickly snapped his jaw shut. His face tensed into something Sylvain wished he could understand.

The knot in Sylvain’s stomach only grew larger the longer Felix sat there in an uncomfortable silence. The faint pink of his cheeks was more apparent now, but Sylvain didn’t want to think about what might be behind it… or who.

“Wow, Fe.” Sylvain teased, because he didn’t dare be sincere. “I thought we didn’t keep secrets.”

“Tch.” Felix‘s gaze broke away from Sylvain, who was grateful for it, as long as it meant he didn’t have to see Felix looking like that ever again.

“I’m not _keeping_ any secrets Sylvain.” He hissed.

The sharp edge to Felix’s tone only emboldened Sylvain once again. This he could work with.

“So,” He raised his eyebrows. “You’ve never been kissed?”

Felix scoffed at him.

“It’s not like I have the time.”

“What, the time to kiss?” Sylvain frowned. “Felix, it’s not that complicated.”

“Well it feels complicated.” Felix picked at a loose button on the cuff of his sleeve.

“How so?” Sylvain pressed.

The blush on Felix’s face deepened, and Sylvain hated what it did to the pounding in his chest.

“I-,” Felix stammered before letting out a huff of frustration. “Why are you bothering me about this?”

Sylvain didn’t know the answer to that question. Or maybe he did. Either way, he fell silent. If he waited just long enough, maybe Felix would break.

A moment passed between the two of them. Felix’s resolve eventually faltered and he turned to face the fire once more. The light of the flames flickered off of his raven hair. The glossy strands that fell down just past his shoulders were pulled back and held together by a crimson ribbon. He had tied the thin velvet into a bow.

“Fe,” Sylvain muttered.

“What?” Felix didn’t look at him this time, even seemed as if he was doing his best not to.

Sylvain wanted Felix to look at him, but now that he wasn’t it meant he could stare freely again. He studied how the light curved over the sharp angles of Felix’s face, how it reflected in the amber pools of his eyes. It wasn’t enough, Sylvain wanted to look at him more. He wanted to look at him closer.

“Sylvain.”

“What?” Sylvain once again snapped back into consciousness. Felix had turned around and placed his full attention on him.

“You were saying something.” His eyebrows creased together. “Spit it out.”

Even though Felix’s words were as cutting as usual, he sounded hesitant, careful.

If it weren’t for the alcohol, Sylvain would have never said a thing.

“I could kiss you. If you wanted.”

Felix’s ears turned a bright red as the blush in his face spread all the way down his neck. Sylvain noticed Felix’s hands stiffen at his sides and something heavy and cold dropped into the pit of his stomach.

“Only if you want.” Sylvain quickly added, immediately wanting to evaporate. “God. Only if you wanted to, Felix.”

Sylvain’s gut twisted violently inside him. He ran his hands over his face.

“Honestly, nevermind.” He wasn’t drunk enough to not feel the burning embarrassment, or the sudden nausea. “I shouldn’t have said it. I’m sorry I just-

“Okay.”

Sylvain peeked through his fingers.

Felix was looking up at him the same as before, but there was a glimmer in his eyes. Sylvain could feel his heart jump in his chest.

“What?” Sylvain lifted his head from his hands.

“I said okay.”

“But-,” Sylvain’s mind was swimming with too many thoughts and feelings at once. He buried his head in his hands once again. “No, it’s okay- I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

_“Sylvain.”_

God, he could listen to the sound of Felix saying his name forever.

“Yeah, Felix?”

“I _want_ you to kiss me.”

This is usually where Sylvain would say something clever, and slightly suggestive, but his mind had gone blank. All he could focus on was watching Felix’s expression, waiting for him to snicker, or crack a wry smile, or shoot him down. But Felix didn’t. So Sylvain waited for his cutting words, or piercing glare, or his usual huffs of annoyance. None of those happened either. But, Felix did seem to be growing increasingly restless under his careful watch. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the cuffs of his sleeves.

Oh God. He was serious.

“Um,” Sylvain attempted to clear his throat. “Okay.”

Felix straightened his back and something flicked across his face too fast for Sylvain to catch. His mouth twitched at one corner.

“Alright. Well,” Felix’s eyes trained on him. “Are you going to… you know…”

Oh, how Sylvain basked in this newfound flustered Felix sitting before him.

“Going to what?” The lilt in Sylvain’s voice was smug.

Felix glared at him, but it wasn’t as intimidating when his face was a bright crimson… Especially when he was asking Sylvain to kiss him.

“Sylvain.” Felix spoke his name as if it were a warning. “Am I just a long-running joke to you?”

The suggestion made Sylvain feel like a monster.

“No, Felix, not at all.”

_Oh no. Felix must be drunker than I thought._

Felix’s eyes were glistening, but Sylvain had seen it a million times before and recognized it almost immediately. His heart sank as the redness began to settle into the corners of Felix’s eyes. Who was doing his best not to blink.

“No, oh no,” Sylvain scrambled off of the ancient seat, which groaned in his absence, and crawled across the floor so he could take Felix’s hands in his own. “Felix.”

Felix turned his head away so that the loose strands of his hair would curtain his face.

“I would never do that.” He squeezed Felix’s fingers. “I do want to- and I will. I just-

“Well if you’re going to do it then just get it over with.” Felix snapped at him. His head had whipped back to face Sylvain and there was an unmistakable shimmer that ran down the side of his cheek.

Sylvain’s grip on Felix loosened, and Felix pulled his hands back to cross them over his chest. He focused his eyes on the fire, but they didn’t seem to be looking at anything.

Sylvain wanted to reach out to him, wanted to cradle his face and tell him how beautiful he looked all night and how he’s dreamt (really dreamt) about what it would be like to kiss him… among other things.

“Felix,” He steadied himself. “I do want to. Really.”

Felix didn’t acknowledge him, but Sylvain could tell he was listening by the way he stiffened in place.

“But, you’re my friend and-

Sylvain didn’t miss the way Felix’s fingers twitched at his choice of words and immediately knew he had made a mistake.

Felix stood and stormed out of the living room. He didn’t even spare Sylvain a hateful glance. Which he’d much rather prefer over being shut out by his best friend.

“Felix, wait.” Sylvain raised to his feet too quickly and had to catch himself on the stone bricks of the fireplace. He wanted more than anything to lie down and fall asleep and pretend this never happened, but he could never live with himself if he left Felix hurting. Especially because of him.

* * *

  
Sylvain stumbled through the narrow hallway, past the aging family photos and oil paintings that hung there. He trailed his fingertips across the walls; just barely enough to keep his balance.

_If only it didn’t have to be so dark…_

Cold air had gathered in the empty space in front of the closed door to Felix’s room. Sylvain’s fingers hesitated at the doorknob, hovering above the rusted metal. He didn’t know what waited behind it. He especially didn’t know if he was ready for it, but he knew he would have to be. Two other, miserable thoughts echoed in his mind. One, that Felix might not be in the room, which would be an entirely different problem on its own. And two, Felix might not even want to see him. Which didn’t feel like a question at this point. It quickly set in that Felix most likely didn’t want to see him… That he in fact might be the last person Felix wanted to see right now. The thought alone made the floor begin to sway beneath him.

Sylvain quickly regained his composure before he opened the door.

A small wooden bed took up the space to Sylvain’s left. The quilted sheets that laid on top of it remained untouched. There was an antique oil lamp that rested on a dresser at the opposite end of the room. The dresser also looked older, as there were portions where paint had chipped off, and one couldn’t help but notice the growing collection of dust… everywhere.

“Damn Fe, it’s freezing in here.” Sylvain rubbed his hands over the arms of his sweater. “Aren’t you cold?”

“If you don’t like it, you can leave.”

The rasp in Felix’s voice was enough for Sylvain to understand. He stopped just past the doorway, hesitation cementing his feet to the cold wooden floorboards beneath them.

Felix stood in the dark at an open window on the wall across from where Sylvain stood. Faint moonlight illuminated the snow outside as it fell and stuck to the screen.

“Felix… I-

“I don’t need your pity.” The words were harsh but the malice behind them was buffered by the way Felix’s voice was breaking.

It was quite possibly the worst sound Sylvain had ever heard.

“This has nothing to do with pity.” He stated.

Felix provided no response, so Sylvain continued.

“I was trying to say that you’re my best friend, and-

Felix’s body tensed and that familiar pang of guilt stabbed itself into Sylvain’s gut.

“And, that if you were to ever regret- If I ever did anything that would cause you to regret it…”

Felix’s shoulders fell as he turned towards Sylvain. His eyes were wide and lips parted slightly, but still no sound came from him.

“You are so important to me. I care about you so much. Felix, my whole life- Out of anyone… I never wanted to hurt you and, I mean, I guess I’m too late for that but… If you got hurt because I took advantage of-

“Sylvain.” Felix’s voice shattered Sylvain’s spiral and hung him in midair. “Do you think that’s what this is?”

His arms fell to his sides.

“I asked you to kiss me.” He continued.

Sylvain could only stand there, stunned into silence.

Felix sighed.

“I know that growing up you had a… reputation.” His lips curled at the word. “So much so that even you started to believe it.”

Sylvain felt heat begin to gather behind his eyes and tried his best to blink it away.

“But I didn’t say yes because I thought it would be nothing to you.”

Felix’s voice softened to an almost-whisper.

“I wanted it to mean something.”

He then fell silent. The darkness of the room hung heavy between them.

“It does.” Sylvain breathed.

There was a pause before Felix turned away from him. He once again faced out of the open window. His form haloed in the faint light.

“Then I would never regret it.”

_There._

Those words were all Sylvain needed. All he wanted was for Felix to feel secure. To hear him say that he wanted Sylvain, that it meant something…

Sylvain crossed the room, his feet light against the ground. Felix didn’t turn to face him as he approached.

“Felix…” Sylvain whispered his name like a prayer.

He stood only inches from Felix now, carefully taking one end of the ribbon in Felix’s hair between his fingertips.

“Sylvain, what’re you-

When Felix turned, their faces were almost touching. The motion had tugged the loose ribbon free from his hair, leaving the ink-colored strands to fall against the exposed skin of his neck. His eyes were wide as they locked onto Sylvain’s.

Sylvain let the ribbon fall onto the floor so that he could run his fingers into Felix’s hair. He brushed the outline of Felix’s jawline with his thumb.

“Ask me to kiss you again.” He whispered.

Felix’s eyelashes looked like silk. They glistened as if he’d just been crying.

“Please.” Felix exhaled.

Sylvain’s heart flipped in his chest.

He closed the remaining space between them, taking his free hand to cradle the other half of Felix’s face, and gently tilted his head upwards.

Felix’s lips parted eagerly for him and Sylvain tasted the remnants of red wine on his tongue. His eyes shuttered as he sighed into the kiss, as if he had been waiting a lifetime.

The small noises that came from Felix as Sylvain kissed him made his head spin. That, along with Felix’s heady scent of mahogany and merlot. Sylvain wanted to drown himself in it. Felix’s fingers curled into the russet strands of Sylvain’s hair and held him there. Sylvain hoped he’d never let go. He teased the inside of Felix’s lips with his tongue, experiencing the way they responded to his touch. When Felix kissed him back it was gentle, but earnest. Sylvain couldn’t help but let out a soft hum when Felix kissed him like that. He slid his hands up the back of Felix’s shirt and traced up and down his spine; feeling the goosebumps rise beneath his fingertips.

When they pulled apart, Felix’s arms remained linked around Sylvain’s neck.

Sylvain leaned back down and pressed his lips to the corner of Felix’s jaw. A smile spread across his face when he heard Felix’s breath hitch in his chest.

“Felix,” Sylvain cooed, carefully placing another kiss on the outside of Felix’s ear.

“You’re my best friend.” He traced his lips down Felix’s neck, who responded with a soft whimper.

“And I love you.”

Sylvain planted one final kiss on Felix’s collarbone before he lifted his head back up.

Felix’s face was flushed. He looked up at Sylvain with molten eyes. His voice barely came out as a whisper, just enough for Sylvain.

“I love you too.”


	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix is usually an early-riser, but not today...   
> and he pays the price.

Felix usually hated being the first person to wake in the morning, but today wasn’t one of those times. He tucked his face into the curve of Sylvain’s neck; taking in his warmth and the faint memory of cologne on his skin. A slight hum could be heard coming from Sylvain’s chest and Felix couldn’t help the way his lips quirked into a smile at the sound.

Felix shifted backwards so that he could look at Sylvain. 

He had eyelashes like dandelion seeds. His freckles were faint and scattered; hints of color that one could only notice if they were to get close enough, and Felix could hardly ignore the burning in his chest at the thought of pressing his lips to the places they hid. 

The memory of the night before made Felix’s face grow hot. He could feel the phantom traces of touch left on his skin, the heat of Sylvain’s breath against the sting of winter air.

Felix’s fingers went to readjust the copper strands of Sylvain’s tousled hair when an extremely unwelcome sound made him freeze in place. The loud slam reverberated off of the walls and Felix shot upwards in the bed. When he spotted the source of the sound, Felix’s blood went cold. 

Ingrid stood, hand still outstretched from throwing the door open, with eyes like darts.

“If you don’t get your lazy ass up alrea-

Ingrid was quick witted _and_ incredibly perceptive, which often worked against Felix. Especially now.

Understanding swiftly settled onto her face. Her eyes had grown wide and her mouth hung agape. 

“Ingrid,” A terribly familiar voice came from behind her. “You should not barge into someone else’s room in such a way.”

Dimitri appeared as a massive figure in the small doorway. He lazily rubbed the sleep from his eyes and peered into the room. Felix’s fingers curled tightly around the bedsheets, as he did _not_ enjoy the heavy confusion that read very clearly across Dimitri’s face. 

“Felix,” Dimitri spoke with that irksome, gentle concern that was unique to him. “Are you alright?”

Ingrid stifled a snort, quickly catching her laughter with a palm pressed tightly against her mouth.

Dimitri stepped into the room past her, his eyebrows creasing even further.

“What happened to your neck?”

Felix slapped a hand to the place Dimitri’s eyes had glued onto and wished for a swift death.

Ingrid could no longer resist as laughter exploded from her chest. She gripped her stomach with her arms, as if that were of any help.

Felix’s whole body burned with embarrassment. This feeling was only made increasingly worse as he felt the cotton sheets shifting to his left.

“Mmmph,” A low grumble came from Sylvain, still half asleep beside him. He took one large arm and swept Felix back down onto the bed. “Fe...”

The almost-childish, surprised gasp that came from Dimitri made Felix burn for any lethal weapon within arms reach. Unfortunately, Sylvain had a python’s grip and seemed to have no intention of letting go.

Despite that knowledge, Felix squirmed to no avail.

“Oh my, I- Felix I understand I have interrupted… something.” Dimitri gently grabbed Ingrid’s arm and led them both back outside of the room. She was still keeled over in unashamed laughter as Dimitri stumbled over his words. “I- apologize and um, this is uh, good for you... both. Um, breakfast is done... whenever you’re ready.”

He shot one last reserved smile before they both disappeared from sight.

As soon as Dimitri and Ingrid’s mixed footsteps could no longer be heard, Sylvain’s laughter vibrated against Felix’s back.

“You,” Felix growled. “You were awake...”

“Mmn.” Sylvain hummed. “But I wanted to stay in bed with you, just a little longer.”

Felix’s heart pounded against his ribcage, and that familiar warmth nestled into his stomach. He quickly yielded to his feelings of the morning.

“Alright,” He huffed, shifting his back comfortably against Sylvain’s chest. “But just a little longer.”

Sylvain nuzzled the back of Felix’s neck with his nose.

Felix could hear the sly smile that spread across his face as he whispered into his skin.

“We’ll see.”

* * *

Thank you so much again ! I’m so happy I’ve gotten to share this with you !

♡


End file.
